Ethical issues in gynecology: adolescent confidentiality, provider conscience and abortion, and patient choice of provider gender.

All medical specialists struggle with problems that cannot be solved with medical knowledge alone. The field of gynecology is not unique in medicine for the presence of ethical dilemmas, but the nature of the dilemmas are unique. Gynecologists commonly confront complex ethical questions in their practices that can be answered only through thoughtful consideration of the values, interests, rights, goals, and obligations of those involved. In this paper, three ethical issues that commonly arise in the practice of gynecology are presented: adolescent confidentiality regarding reproductive health services, physician conscience and provision of abortion services, and the question of accommodating patient choice of provider gender. Each topic is introduced with a case vignette followed by an analysis of the issues involved and recommendations for resolution.